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Tourism agency board to back 7-day alcohol sales |
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Thursday, 06 August 2009 |
By PAUL SIMS
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Starkville’s tourism board unanimously decided Wednesday to draft a letter supporting a proposed ordinance permitting seven-day-a-week alcohol sales in the city.
The Starkville Visitors and Convention Council — the governing board of the Starkville Convention and Visitors Bureau — agreed to draft the letter backing the changes.
These include allowing alcohol sales on Sunday, extending alcohol sales hours to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday, reducing the distance from establishments which sell alcohol to such facilities as churches and schools from 250 to 100 feet to come into line with Mississippi Alcoholic Beverage Control Board standards and permitting open alcohol containers on public property at special events.
After the meeting, VCC Chair Michelle Jones said the panel will send letters in support of the proposed changes to elected officials and media venues.
“This, to me, is an economic impact thing,” said VCC member Jay Yates.
Board Member Harry Freeman, who – at Tuesday’s Board of Alderman meeting – said he was in favor of the changes, told other ordinance supporters on the panel: “I don’t see any hard numbers. ... Y’all need to make a stronger argument.”
Board Member Debra Shafer said “It will help attract other retail,” and aid in recruiting Mississippi State University faculty. “Right now, we look very provincial,” she said.
Ward 5 Alderman Jeremiah Dumas, who has joined the VCC as the city’s representative, said he wants to call for a vote on the change on Aug. 18.
In a separate matter, the VCC board voted to approve its $200,000 budget for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.
Jones said after the meeting the budget moves some $2,570 in such costs as office supplies and equipment and insurance coverage for liability, officers and directors and workman’s compensation to the marketing and operations contract with the Greater Starkville Development Partnership.
The budget includes some $60,000 in funds to support special projects and events. Specifically, some $53,012.50 will go 13 organizations and $6,987.50 is designated for conference sponsorships. The upcoming special projects and events budget is about $6,000 higher than the current year’s spending plan, something about which VCC officials are pleased, Jones said.
Jennifer Glaze, the GSDP’s vice president for tourism development, says the conference sponsorships will be allocated on a case-by-case basis.
The special event funding already allocated in the budget is as follows (listed by organization, event and dollar amount):
• Golden Triangle Kennel Club of Mississippi, AKC Dog Show, $3,000.
• Johnny Cash Flower Pickin’ Festival, event of the same name, $5,000.
• Mississippi Horse Park, various events, $9,000.
• Mitchell Memorial Library, Charles Templeton Ragtime Jazz Music Festival, $1,000.
• Oktibbeha County Heritage Museum, Rediscovering Aviation in Starkville & Oktibbeha County Exhibit, $2,700.
• Starkville Area Arts Council, Cotton District Arts Festival, $5,500.
• Starkville Area Arts Council, Everything Garden Expo, $3,500.
• Starkville Central Neighborhood Foundation, historic neighborhood and district signs, $3,500.
• Starkville Community Theater, Dinner & a Show, $2,825.
• Starkville Rotary Club, Rotary Classic PRCA Rodeo, $1,000.
• Starkville Soccer Association, various tournaments, $9,000.
• Starkville-MSU Symphony Association, marketing funds for concerts and events, $1,000.
• Sturgis South Motorcycle Rally, event of the same name, $2,500.
• Village Cycle Center, Sturgis South Dinner Ride, $3,487.50.
VCC officials expect to present the budget to the Board of Aldermen for review Aug. 18.
In other matters, the VCC board:
• Heard plans to develop a separate landing Web page for visitor information. Glaze provided details on the page after the meeting.
The page, http://visit.starkville.org/, will go live in a couple of weeks and will provide visitors with specific information about shopping, dining, lodging, attractions and events. The site will also feature a blog which will include current and updated information about events and happenings in Starkville.
Officials are in the process of reorganizing the information on the GSDP’s Web site. “Until then, this will provide easy-to-understand information for our visitors,” she said. The visitor’s site will be linked to Mississippi State University’s Game Day Web site, http://www.gameday.msstate.edu/, where the CVB is a title sponsor.
• Met in executive session to discuss a personnel matter.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 07 August 2009 )
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